Metal recycling software for the weighbridge and the yard

Scrap metal recyclers take in a constant stream of material. Old cars, stripped appliances, offcuts from building sites, cable, copper and aluminium. Every load has value, and from October 2026 every load also has to be logged with DEFRA's Digital Waste Tracking Service within two working days.

Scrap metal is controlled waste the moment it is discarded, even though you pay for it. If you hold an environmental permit to receive metal for recycling, you are a receiving site under the DWTS. Every load that crosses the gate needs a digital record with the correct EWC code, carrier details and weight. If you operate under a registered waste exemption rather than a full permit, check your specific exemption category with your regulator, since DEFRA has not confirmed a firm Phase 1 date for that group.

Metal loads sit in a small band of EWC codes, mostly the 17 04 and 16 01 chapters. A load of ferrous is coded differently from a mixed load of cable and non-ferrous, and getting that right means the record is correct on the day rather than fixed after an inspection. LoadLog pre-fills the codes you use most, so the operator is not typing them from memory. Save a template for each grade you handle, or copy one of the ready-made metal templates from the sample library, so a load of ferrous, non-ferrous or mixed metals is described and coded before the operator starts typing.

LoadLog records the load from a tablet at the weighbridge. The operator enters the waste type, the EWC code, the vehicle and the carrier. The system checks the carrier registration against all four UK public registers before the load is accepted. Both parties sign on screen, and the record submits to DEFRA automatically.

Recyclers who already run weighbridge software can keep it. Export the day's weights as a CSV and import the rows into LoadLog. The columns are matched and remembered, nothing is created until you approve the preview, and the loads arrive as drafts ready to submit in one batch. The weighbridge stays as it is, and the digital record takes care of itself.

Start free with five notes a month, or use Compliance Lite at £12 a month for unlimited notes and bulk entry. Metal recyclers can be fully compliant from the first load.

Start your free account today. No credit card needed.